History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 21Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 21
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Gallant young fellow, one loves to believe it of him; and to add it to
the one other fact now known of him, which was also beautiful, though
tragic. Six years after, Spring, 1785, Oder River, swollen by rains, was
in wild deluge; houses in the suburbs like to be washed away. Leopold,
looking on it from the Bridge or shore, perhaps partly with an Official
eye, saw the inhabitants of some houses like to be drowned;
looked wildly for assistance, but found none; and did, himself, in
uncontrollable pity, dash off in a little boat, through the wild-eddying
surges; and got his own death there, himself drowned in struggling to
save others. Which occasioned loud lamentation in the world; in his poor
Mother's heart what unnamable voiceless lamentation! [Friedrich's Letter
to her: _OEuvres de Frederic,_ xxvii. i. 351 ("12th May, 1785").] He had
founded a Garrison School at Frankfurt; spared no expenditure of pains
or of money. A man adored in Frankfurt. "His Brother Friedrich, in
memory of him, presented, next year, the Uniform in which Leopold was
drowned, to the Freemason Lodge of Berlin, of which he had been member."
[_Militair-Lexikon,_ i. 24.] SUNT LACRYMAE RERUM.
But to return to the Arnolds, and have done with them: for we are now,
by Leopold's help or otherwise, got to the last act of that tedious
business.
August 21st, 1779 (these high Brunswickers still at Potsdam, if that had
any influence), the Arnolds again make Petition to the King: "Alas, no
justice yet, your Majesty!" "Shall we never see the end of this, then?"
thinks the King: "some Soldier, with human eyes, let him, attended by
one of their Law-wigs, go upon the ground; and search it!" And,
next day, having taken Protocol of the Arnold Complaint, issues
Cabinet-Order, or King's Message to the Custrin Law-wigs: "Colonel
Heucking [whose regiment lies in Zullichau district, a punctual enough
man], he shall be the Soldier; to whom do YOU adjoin what member of
your Court you think the fittest: and let, at last, justice be done. And
swift, if you please!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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